As we edge nearer to our 100th mix, we seek to Berlin for textural techno melodies from dutch producer and DJ Konduku aka Ruben Üvez. Having graced some of our favorite labels like Donato Dozzy's Spazio Disponibile, Nous'Klaer, Delsin, Midgar and more, Üvez has become a maestro in layering UK techno stylings with a European flavour, finding that perfect balance between space and drums. 
His wisdom in also finding tracks of this style have become an integral part of his DJ sets being incorporated beautifully to the point of losing yourself even in the more relentless parts. A journey to say the least that very few can put you on, displaying Üvez's approach that could be comparable to that of modern greats like Batu and Donato Dozzy. And that is what Konduku has done here on Phonica 99. Recorded live from a Midgar party in Berlin recently that transports you to that time and moment so alluringly, we have a chat to Üvez more about the concept and where his head was at during this set.

Phonica Mix Series 99: Konduku

Dj Maria. b2b Oceanic at Draaimolen Festival 2024

Dolby surround - timeless - on clouds - cumulus - dub - special mix for journeys - surround (classic vinyl and new tracks) for magnificent Discos Movimiento from Mexico.

A special timeless warm lighter Dubmix into dark days for e.g.travelling with newer tracks and older classic Dub records.

Track - Artist - Label
Static - Optic - Rendered Thoughts
Apollo is a Division R&S - Ole J Mjøs&Torbjørn - Brundtland
OFF - Cio D´Or - Telrae
Longing - Joachim Spieth - Affin
Static - Optic - Rendered Thoughts
Forgotten Gods - MonO - Silent Season
Recall - Joachim Spieth - Affin
Version Of Spend Some Time - Rhytm&Sounds (Burial Mix)
yocta - Cio D´Or - Semantica
Version of Why - Rhythm&Sound with Paul Hilaire (Burial Mix) -?
Roll Off - Rhythm&Sound -?
Luminescent - Mohlao -?
Endless - Optic -?
Ruff - Rhytm&Sound (Burial Mix) - ?
UK74R1514140 - Aleksi Perala - The Colundi Sequence Level 12
Minos Pour Main Basse (Sur La Ville) - Mooloodjee - ?
Mash UP (Reshape) - Freund Der Familie - Freund Der Familie
Faith (No Vox Mix) - Paul St.Hilaire & René Löwe - Kynant Records
Definitely Lunar - Eshu - Eshu
Resonance Scionversions - Substance&Vanceur - ?
BC09 - Basic Channel
While the lights stays - Mosaic - The Memory Foundation
Untitled - EQD - Equalized
? - Varley - ?
Subway7 - Richard Bartz - Cocoon
The Journey (Qui Niu) - Sons Of The Dragon - Motor City Matrix
Subway - Richard Bartz - Kanzleramt
Static - Optic - Rendered Thoughts
Apollo is a Division R&S - Ole J Mjøs&Torbjørn - Brundtland

Cio D'Or - Cumulus 33 / Mixtape Discos Movimiento #28

Regis and Function's first mix in over 10 years is a unique paean to Silent Servant, heavy on unreleased material.

When it came time for RA to compile our Albums of the 2010s, one record with a tauntingly limited availability of 500 copies was never in doubt: Sandwell District's era-defining 'Feed-Forward'. Encompassing Karl O'Connor (Regis), Peter Sutton (Female), David Sumner (Function) and Juan Mendez (Silent Servant), Sandwell District had the underground in a vice grip for over a decade.

The collective imploded in 2013, with Sumner and O'Connor's relationship appearing beyond repair. And yet, an unlikely second phase is here, featuring imminent comeback LP 'End Beginnings' and their return to the RA Podcast after 16 years. In 2023, the trio of Function, Regis and Silent Servant had been performing and laying down new material before the latter's shock death last January. It's in the shadow of loss that this unique mix was forged.

Founded in 2002 as a spiritual sister to seminal Downwards, Sandwell truly began to hit its straps in the late '00s, as shadow-stalking cuts sliced through clubland orthodoxy like a switchblade. In parallel, the label's artwork—a noir recombination of Burroughs cut-ups, DIY zines and arthouse amour that Silent Servant made his own—helped fortify a movement which placed an aesthetic premium on grit, grain and sadism.

By the early 2010s, this fixation on the dark arts had utterly permeated the mood inside techno's masonic temples. Labels like Blackest Ever Black, Stroboscopic Artefacts, Avian and Modern Love were in their pomp, razorwire legends like Severed Heads and Chris & Cosey benefited from second winds, and it was briefly a jailable offence to not have a press photo in black and white. 'Feed-Forward' was the exceptional coronating statement.

RA.978 features a stack of unheard recordings from each of the trio, as well as close allies Stefanie Parnow and Tropic of Cancer, while also gathering many of Silent Servant's all-time favourite songs, including Psychic TV, Grace Jones and Galaxie 500. It's a strikingly vulnerable listen, one without many parallels on the Podcast. We're glad to run it. – Gabriel Szatan

Read more and find the tracklist here: ra.co/podcast/978
Read our new feature with Sandwell District here: https://ra.co/features/4426

RA.978 Sandwell District

Full Tracklist: https://bleep.com/bleep-mix-297--sandwell-district

For our latest Bleep Mix instalment, Sandwell District come through with a hefty programming of dark rollers fulfilling that promise of reinvigorated purpose they mentioned before: “Having a good time”. And with a wealth of exclusive unheard material it’s hard to refute the mission statement. Dropping straight into the cavernous environs of an unreleased Regis side Frosty Jack’s, the selection rides a restrained line building tension through a number of Nastia Reigel tracks deployed with utmost precision before upping its stride with Luke Slater’s Planetary Assault Systems and quickly landing first peak from The Wizard himself, with Jeff Mills' slamming ‘93 cut Step to Enchantment (Stringent). Taking in a track from their comrade Surgeon’s forthcoming album, as well as the simmering acid of their own tune Hidden, Sandwell District bring it back round full circle via two further unreleased reworks of heroes Meat Beat Manifesto providing a breakbeat singed rupture to close out the proceedings with the vocal snatches of MBM’s Helter Skelter summing it all up really: “It's in my brain now. This is it!”

Bleep Mix #297 - Sandwell District

Next up on the GROOVE Podcast is Marco Shuttle (@marco_shuttle) with a set recorded at party PAX-ROMANA (@paxromana_xxi) at Radion Amsterdam (@radionamsterdam). Go to bit.ly/ShuttlePod for the interview.

bit.ly/ShuttlePod

GROOVE Podcast 463 – Marco Shuttle

TEN: The Archive Series, Pt. 6 concludes the journey through Ballroom Records’ history, bringing the series to a powerful close.

Focused on the techno-driven side of Melodic House & Techno, this chapter highlights tracks defined by hypnotic tension, driving energy, and emotive depth.

A final tribute to the sound that shaped Ballroom over the past 10 years.

Enjoy listening and have a beautiful day!

TEN: The Archive Series, Pt. 6

32, Ambient, Instr hip-hop, alternative, weird core, horror core and more 

Fing. (Demo)

The Bunker on RBMA Radio: Voices From The Lake 11/05/2015

Until he launched his own Radio Matrix label with a clever and conceptual series of EPs in 2014, Delta Funktionen was exclusively tied to Dutch stable Delsin and its sub labels. It is there that he has roamed from techno to electro to dub, and there that he has put out a string of EPs and coherent full length over the last decade. Unlike many of his underground peers, Delta isn’t too serious and likes to have fun when DJing, so can go hard and fast or deep and warm according to the context. He often marries analogue and digital techniques in his work, takes cues from traditional hotbeds like Detroit and Chicago, but always comes correct with his own unique perspectives.  

Across the course of 75 absorbingly sci-fi minutes, the Dutchman cooks up a cinematic ride through deep space atmospherics, electronic funk and slick electro. The latter half grows more disturbed and dystopian, but there is always a very real and metallic aesthetic to the seamlessly segued sounds that ties the whole thing together with real narrative. 

Dekmantel Podcast 066 - Delta Funktionen

Since the end of Sandwell District, Silent Servant has continued to be an influential presence in the techno world. The American’s Jealous God label defies convention and expectation with each release and his own avant guard productions remain utterly unique. Each one speaks to his roots—Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure—by fusing post punk and industrial with techno in chilling ways. His conceptual and sincere aesthetic carries over into his live sets, but also his DJ mixes. 

This latest one is special indeed: it is a mix of influences, in chronological order and “with only a few hiccups in dates” from 1972 to 2000 and all recorded on vinyl in one take. The resulting hour takes in plenty of those goth and alternative rock sounds, new wave, noise and experimental touchstones he grew up on in Los Angeles, but also seamlessly connects them to the techno that later influenced him so the likes of Kraftwerk, Neon, The Final Cut, Toddy Terry and Jeff Mills all make the cut. From stark and jerky rhythms early on to supple, strobe lit grooves in the second half, this is a personal mix that really tells the story of Silent Servant’s musical evolution.

Dekmantel Podcast

Dekmantel Podcast 175 - Silent Servant

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